We have been using Echo's for just over a year now and they break down constantly. We are a fairly large lab and have noticed various parts need replacing quite often. For instance, the sensors on our waste buckets seem to degrade every 4 months or so. Also, now that it's been a year many other parts are going, including the syringes, the pumps, the syringe cap, etc. Is anyone else experiencing trouble with the Echo hardware?

We have had our Echo since August 2007 (ie: just shy of three years.) We are a medium-size hospital (300 beds) with a very active Blood Bank and we use our Echo on all shifts (although our third shift does not get much Blood Bank work.

We have not experienced your problems. We have never replaced the sensors on the waste bucket, any syringes or syringe caps, or pumps. The only thing we have replaced is the probe a couple times (an easy fix), and I think that the Immucor rep has replaced the robotic arm sensors twice. So I am really surprised to hear of your recurring problems.

Are you using the "Rely-On" disinfectant as recommended by Immucore for your monthly decontamination maintenance? (From your descriptions, it sounds like something is "chewing up" some of the parts???)

We have been using our Echo since October 2008 and we have not had hardly any hardware problems. We had to have the motherboard replaced, but I think that was our fault (incorrectly replaced probe leaked onto it)! I agree with L106, could someone be using bleach?

We use Virkon (which I believe is virtually the same as Rely-On) as Immucor instructed us to. No one uses bleach on any component of the machine. I agree that it seems something is "chewing up" the parts. Other than the possiblity that we got "lemons" I wonder if you think it's possible there is a problem with the saline. What brand do you use? We get an unbuffered saline then adjust the pH to 7.0 using the Immucor Phix Buffer. Is this the same process you use? Also, we decontaminate twice a month, do you think this might be contributing?

We have had the Echo since january 2008. Our waste sensor quit on us this week for the first time. Immucor sent us a new one for free. Ohter than that we have not had to replace any parts. The syringes we change yearly just as a PM. Maybe you got a lemon!

We've been installed since August 2008 and we aren't replacing a lot of parts either. We decontaminate once a month - as we were told, but we don't have huge volume. Our saline is Azer brand through Cardinal, buffered with pHix.

We process about 100 samples a day, is this close to how many samples the larger sites who have replied are processing. It could be that we are working the machines too hard. Keep your suggestions coming, and if anyone is having trouble like us, please let me know!

We've had the Echo for over two years and have had none of the issues you mention. This has been one of the most reliable instruments in the lab. Other than PM's hardly ever see service.

We really aren't doing any preventative maintanence. Immucor didn't recommend anything to us, which I know doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. Maybe if we do PM it will help. What knid of preventatine maintanence are you all doing?

We are using Cardinal Health Certified Blood Bank Saline and add the pHix. We only decontaminate once a month with the RelyOn. You should check with Immucor, but I thought that the PM's were included in the contract.

PM's are included in contract. We use Rely-ON and our saline is regular(non-buffered) blood bank saline from Fisher Scientific. We have had to replace the probe and our service rep did replace a probe sensor once and the drive belt for the probe once. I haven't had any other problems. Sure saves me a ton of time. (can time be measured in tons???)

(can time be measured in tons???)

Well, they do say that "time hangs heavy"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(SORRY FOR THAT - IT WAS AWFUL).

:o:o:o:o

We have used the ECHO for almost 3 years and have not had all the problems you describe. The most we have ever done is changed a bent probe (someone left a cap on) and a minor leak that required a tube exchange. It does sound like a lemon or even bleach cleanser-we use the alcohol based wipes from Immucor to wipe probe, clean inside etc. One of my techs thought they could use the standard counter wipes (contains bleach). What does your rep and the BLUD line suggest?

Our maintenance and saline info is the same as what DPrudin described. (And we decontaminate only once a month.)

I haven't heard of alcohol wipes from Immucor. We use regular alcohol wipes (stolen from our Phlebotomy supplies) to wipe the probe, clean inside, etc.